Elsie Foley

Elsie Foley was born, Elsie Virginia Bonds on November 16th, 1924 in Hobert, Oklahoma to James and Ethel Bonds. 

 Elsie is preceded in death by her siblings, Bill, Bud, Eugene, Inez, Beulah, and Vinna, her son Sonny, First husband Homer Raymond Arms, second husband Morrison "Pete" Foley, and her parents James and Ethel Bonds.  She is survived by her sister Mildred, children Don, Carolyn and Jeffery, her 7 grandchildren and 12 great- grandchildren. 

The Bonds family left Oklahoma in the 1930s traveling west where they settled in Maricopa County, AZ.  Homer and Elsie became husband and wife in 1939 and had three children, Sonny, Don and Carolyn. Sonny who along with his father tragically died in a fire.  In 1947 Elsie married Morrison "Pete" Foley, a master sergeant in the United States Air Force. In 1954 she, along with Don and Carolyn moved to Nagoya, Japan where Pete was stationed.  Her fourth and last child, Jeffery Allan, Was born in Japan in 1956.  The family later lived in Dennison, Texas and Columbus, Ohio before moving to Prescott, Arizona in 1969 after Pete had retired from the Air Force. Elsie worked at Pennington's department store in downtown Prescott for 11 years. 

Later in life she developed a love for painting.  She took classes at Yavapai Community College for 10 years.  She started with landscapes in oils and later moved on to water colors and portraits.  Over the course of 30 years she completed hundreds of paintings, mostly focusing on the desert landscapes of Arizona. 

 Elsie was defined by her family and her faith.  Probably the most significant event of her life was when she began her journey with Jesus in 1962.  She taught Sunday School classes, served on the church board and the missionary society and could always be seen on Sundays as a greeter before services.  She loved her church family and friends.  "I attended more camp meetings and conventions than I could count!" she recalled.  "I thank God for the privilege to serve him in the church that I love and I give him all the praise and glory.  Bless his holy name!" 

Elsie went to be with Jesus on December 6th, 2016 at the age of 92. She passed away peacefully and with a life full of family, love, art and grace behind her.  Her greatest journey has now begun.